The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-06-30
NATURES MANuREs.

Fertiiixing Exhausted Soil by piowaI
Under Rapidiy-Growing Crops.
The recuperation Of soils by natursk
means is not a swift process. The iof{
nation of the soil originally require
ages of time. First the rock must j
broken down and disintegrated. Thsx
plants must gradually absorb such poi
tions as are soluble in water or eli
present in the atmosphere. and ~
plants by decay are reduced to hnmul
Then the real work Of soil-huildiaf
commences in earnest. So ilnporta
is this humus in the soil that y
average soil from which two inches
thickness is removed remains for losz
period infertile. unless specially treata
The reason of this is. the hunus
soils, unless mixed artifcially with u
under soil, remains next the surfaces
The principal offices Of humus are
absorbs and retains moisture, furnishs
carbon and the mineral elements In 4.
cayed vegetation in a soluble state
plants, and especially is the pin
agent in carrying on chemical trans
formations in the soil. evolyina
through heat and moisture, carbd
oxygen and hydrogen, and also nitrug
in soluble form for the use Of PLAN
Hence the value of grass and forss
plants that may be fed to animals
turned under, enriching the soil bythe
constituents, or by being plowed unds
Thus in all long cultivated soils
humus is intimately mixed with the q
TO the depth of blowing, while n ~
never plowed, as in woodland,
humus, until thoroughly dacsyed
mains as the top layer Of the soil @
greater or less depth. according 70
amount annually deposited.
Very few farms make sufficient q
nure from the animals fed to proper
manure the soil. unless stocked 70
full capacity, and then only when grs
care is taken to save and make manu-
with all its constituents intact !
is a laborious work, and costly ~ w
Hence the utility and economy Of pi0z
ing under sward and other green ef0
as part of the rotation OF the sol''
this means the whole value Of the q
is returned to the soil. while N
feeding of animals only minor pan.
so returned. Hence. again, o sts
lately by us, the value OF covsrea
lows, rather than of naked ones Ut
fallow is considered absolutely ~
sary.
The more advanced farmers q
country are adverse to allowing aDa
be naked at all, except during VIC
o crop is springing up. When y
lowed, rains wash away the 10y.
sun bakes the land, and aside i,Om
mechanical disintegration and cisas
the soil of weeds, little other e0~
accomplished. 81.
Some Of the best farmers na
SOW rye and clover among corr
last plowing. the same 70 % y
under at the next blowing, prepsIs
to another crop. This plowlng =
of as many crops as possible
natural system Of manuring' ana .
near to NATURES plan, except ~
renovation is far swifter. 10 'ns
ural system of manuring, the
growing a crop may be, che 0e.
results, and with modern ploss
attachments for dragging unaeI ii, /,
little difficulty is experience
ing under a heavy growth o. ~ /.
even so rank grower az the 3
of the South. In no porion
country is the. covering q " /,
especially in the winter. more ~
Il only to prevent washing aWsy n
soil, by which vast quantities =
NAV be eliminated therefrom
Fed and Stocknadsa.